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PlantsWholesale - no plant/abysmal customer service
Tua
Posts: 36 Forumite
The website looks fab - the buzz words 'Royal Horticultural Society' are bandied around a bit, and there are loads of lovely plants illustrated and described. The overall impression given is that 'customer service' staff are easily-contactable - and heck, there even seems to be an opportunity to communicate with a 'horticultural expert' for gardening advice!
However, the reality isn't quite as rosy as one might expect (I know ... dreadful pun!)
I placed an order on a Sunday afternoon via the website - for a plum seedling in a 10 litre pot, along with a wooden gift tag - and paid a total of £29.68. I expected the order would be processed and dispatched the following day so that it would arrive at its destination on Tuesday – indeed the catalogue description for the item stated “Delivery time: Next Working Day".
Early on the Monday morning I received an email informing me that I would be able to track (online) the progress of the plant's delivery. I was given a 'Yodel' parcel reference code - so later in the day I decided to check the delivery as the little plum tree was intended as a birthday gift for my daughter who lives over 200 miles away. Imagine my surprise when the Yodel website revealed that there was no record of any such delivery!
So on Tuesday morning I sent an email to PlantsWholesale to ask what had happened to my order. I didn’t receive a reply, so around 5pm I ‘phoned their ‘customer service’ staff; and was reassured that despite the unforeseen delay, the plant was ready for dispatch and would be delivered to my daughter the next day (Wednesday).
But guess what? On Wednesday Yodel still had no record of a request for any such delivery! I tried to contact PlantsWholesale ‘customer service’ staff again but unfortunately they weren't answering the phone. Their automatic answering service suggested that callers could leave a message – but the "press button 1" facility for leaving a message didn't work.
Using a different tactic, in order to communicate with a 'customer service' rep I selected the option for "placing a new order". That didn't work either (ie: no-one answered the phone). So as a last resort I attempted to contact their "horticultural expert" - but unfortunately he/she didn't answer the 'phone either.
My emails remain unanswered and it looks as though I'm going to have to jump through hoops to get my cash refunded <sigh>.
However, the reality isn't quite as rosy as one might expect (I know ... dreadful pun!)
I placed an order on a Sunday afternoon via the website - for a plum seedling in a 10 litre pot, along with a wooden gift tag - and paid a total of £29.68. I expected the order would be processed and dispatched the following day so that it would arrive at its destination on Tuesday – indeed the catalogue description for the item stated “Delivery time: Next Working Day".
Early on the Monday morning I received an email informing me that I would be able to track (online) the progress of the plant's delivery. I was given a 'Yodel' parcel reference code - so later in the day I decided to check the delivery as the little plum tree was intended as a birthday gift for my daughter who lives over 200 miles away. Imagine my surprise when the Yodel website revealed that there was no record of any such delivery!
So on Tuesday morning I sent an email to PlantsWholesale to ask what had happened to my order. I didn’t receive a reply, so around 5pm I ‘phoned their ‘customer service’ staff; and was reassured that despite the unforeseen delay, the plant was ready for dispatch and would be delivered to my daughter the next day (Wednesday).
But guess what? On Wednesday Yodel still had no record of a request for any such delivery! I tried to contact PlantsWholesale ‘customer service’ staff again but unfortunately they weren't answering the phone. Their automatic answering service suggested that callers could leave a message – but the "press button 1" facility for leaving a message didn't work.
Using a different tactic, in order to communicate with a 'customer service' rep I selected the option for "placing a new order". That didn't work either (ie: no-one answered the phone). So as a last resort I attempted to contact their "horticultural expert" - but unfortunately he/she didn't answer the 'phone either.
My emails remain unanswered and it looks as though I'm going to have to jump through hoops to get my cash refunded <sigh>.
0
Comments
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https://www.plantswholesale.co.uk
Seems they operate several web based businesses from one base.
Also not sure about some of their t& cs including this one
"
Our responsibility for everything other than damage due to our negligence will end at the time the carrier tried to deliver the goods to you."0 -
I noticed that there's a template letter re: 'goods not delivered or delivered late' on this website, so I've typed out a letter using the template wording and it's ready for posting tomorrow.
Basically, late or non-delivery constitutes a breach of contract, so payment should be reimbursed in full - fingers crossed!
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I have an update on this fiasco ...
This morning I actually managed to get through to a member of staff. He informed me that the parcel had been dispatched by a company called 'NightFreight'. I pointed out that it hadn't been delivered; and he said he'd contact the courier and get back to me "within 10 minutes".
I'd not heard from him half-an-hour later, so I called again.
Apparently the courier had left the parcel in my daughter's front garden "by the bin". Well my daughter lives in London; her front garden is tiny, and easily accessed by anyone walking past; and "by the bin" is hardly a discreet/safe hiding-place for a fairly large box!
Anyway ... the tree has gone AWOL.
Hence I've insisted upon a full refund ... and I'm keeping my fingers crossed!
My recommendation is that people should avoid trading with both firms - horticultural suppliers "Plants Wholesale" (who also trade as "Choice Shops") and the couriers "Night Freight".0 -
Hopefully they turnover a new leaf0
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